Roscoe l



(No Model.)

' R. L. MARK.

STOGK INDICATOR.

No. 544,988. Patented Aug. 20, 1895.

W/TNESSES: 5

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ROSOOE L. MARK, OF DAVENPORT, IOWA, ASSIGNOR TO THE MARK KEEPER 00., OF SAME PLACE.

STOCK STOCK-INDICATOR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 544,988, dated- August 20, 1895. Application filed June 10, 1895. Serial No. 552,279- (No model.) I

used as a stock-indicator for brokers use, or' for a perpetual calendar, or any other similar use in which the items or quotations require to be changed from time to time with facility and dispatch.

It consists in the peculiar constructionand arrangement of a sheet-metal base or carrying-plate with numerous detachable and interchangeable tablets bearing figures, letters, characters, or headings, and also in the organization of a frame for carrying the same and storingthe tablets not in use, as will be hereinafter more fully described.

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the indi cator as secured against the wall in a vertical frame and folded. Fig. 2 is a front view of thesame opened for inspection. Fig. 3 is an enlarged view of a portion of the sheetmetal base or carrying-plate, showing one of the detachable tablets and means for securing the same. Fig. 4 is a vertical section taken through Fig. 3 on the line 2 2. Fig. 5 is a perspective view in detail of one of the tablets detached, and Fig. 6 is a similar view of a modification.

Referring to Figs. 3, 4, and 5, A represents the sheet-metal base or carrying-plate com posed, preferably, of a sheet of No. 24 coldrolled steel, pickeled and japanned, and punched with series of T -shaped perforations B, forming seats for the tablets and their retainingsprings. In each one of these seats is arranged a retaining-spring for its tablet, composed of a piece of spring-wire bent and folded about its middle to form an upwardlyprojecting tongue a whose lower ends are extended downwardly in the shape of shanks a, which diverge and terminate in feet a a at the bottom. These springs have their tongue or extended up through the opening B behind the plate A, their shanks extending down in front of A and their lower ends extended through the lateral branches 1) b of the next lower opening, retaining themselves by their lateral expansion, as shown on left of Fig. 3.

The tablets O are made of pieces of thin metal, whose upper ends are bent to form a stepped construction, and whose lower end is flanged outwardly to form a finger-hold 0 These tablets have their upper ends thrust through the tops of the openings, forcing the tongue 0. of the spring backwardly and passing up between the tongue of said spring and the back side of the plate above the opening, in which position it is retained by the pressure of the spring-tongue against the top flange 0 of the tablet O, which latter, acting about the poiutfas a fulcrum, is caused to lie flat against the plate A, its lower end being forced inwardly to the plate by the action of the spring bearing on the tablet above its fulcrum-pointy, as shown in Fig. 4. -To remove the tablet its lower flange c is grasped by the thumb and forefinger and pulled outwardly, which causes the tablet to turn slightly about the pointf, its upper end forcing back the spring-tongue, as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 4, in which position the tablet may be easily withdrawn by a downward longitudinal movement. These tablets are for the most part made with flanged side guides c a, into which is slipped a card 0' printed with a figure, letter, or character, but for broader headings, or where a number of figures are used requiring a greater width, a spring tongue or clip of, Fig. 6, is stamped out from the body of the metal and a card of any suitable width is retained between this clip or spring-tongue and the lower flange 0 which latter is in such case turned slightly upward to form a retaining-flange for the lower edge of the card shown in dotted lines in Fig. 6.

Each carrying-plate A is provided with any number of these tablets, tablet-seats, and springs, and there may be any number of these carrying-plates arranged in suitable marginal frames F, which are hinged at g g to fold like the leaves of a book, one portion of each hinge being constructed as a bracket g fastened to an upright board G, attached to the wall.

The outside frames F have imperforate sides or backs I, Fig. 1, to close and protect the interior, and if desired the frames may,

when closed, as in Fig. 1, be locked to prevent access to'or tampering with the contents of the 5 indicator by unauthorized persons.

Below each indicator is a trough-shaped tray H, also secured to the wall, which is divided into compartments to receive and classify the tablets bearing the different numro bers, letters, or characters.

The hinged frames or supporting-board G are also designed to be made easily detachable from the Wall, so that they may, if desired, be easily removed at night and placed I 3 in the fireproof safe, which indicator would in such case represent a faithful account of goods in stock in case the latter were destroyed by fire or surreptitiously disposed of by dishonest employs.

2o Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. The combination of a carrying plate having openings through it, and a retaining :5 spring for each opening arranged in said opening and secured by extension down-into the next subjacent opening, and a detachable tablet substantially as shown and described.

2. The 1 combination of a carrying plate 30 having T-shaped openings through it, a bent spring having its middle portion extended through said opening, its upper bent tongue extending behind the carrying plate, and its two lower ends extended in front of said plate and secured in the lateral branches of the T- 3 5 shaped opening next below, anda detachable tablet substantially as shown and described.

3. The combination with the carrying plate having openings and retaining springs arranged in the openings and pressing forwardly 40 at their upper ends; of a tablet having a stepped upper end bent zig-zag backwardly from its face and an outwardly flanged lower end substantially as shown and described.

4. The combination with the carrying plate 4 5 having openings and retaining springs; of a tablet having a stepped upper end, a tongue or clip 0 and an upwardly and outwardly bent flange at its lower end substantially as shown and described.

5. An indicator consisting of a supporting frame, a set of folding frames hinged thereto carrying plates having T shaped slots, bent springs arranged in the slots and having their ends-secured in the next lower slots and de- 55 tachable tablets secured in the plate by means of the said springs substantially as shown and described.

ROSCOE L. MARK. Witnesses:

M. L. ELDRIDGE, J. M. ELDRIDGE. 

